IOWA ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS
3349 Southgate Court Southwest #108
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404-5424
319-362-6824 Voice, 319-362-7734 Fax or (Wulff Home 515-276-8888)
www.simpson.edu/~iarp henrywulff@aol.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/12/01
Amtrak Reform Council Action Denounced
(Urbandale, Iowa)---The President of the Iowa Association of Railroad
Passengers (IARP), Henry Wulff of Urbandale, denounced the Amtrak Reform
Council's (ARC) vote ordering Amtrak to draft its liquidation plan.
"Coming one day after the Senate Finance Committee voted to include $7
billion in bonding authority for Amtrak, the vote by the Amtrak Reform
Council appears to be an effort to close the train barn's door before
Amtrak gets down the track."
Wulff was particularily concerned that the ARC seemed to ignore its mandate
to consider "acts of God, national emergencies and other events beyond the
reasonable control of Amtrak."
"As we approach the holiday season, the busiest travel time of the year,
Amtrak should be devoting its full effort to meet the needs of a traveling
public that wants safe, secure public transportation. Instead the ARC is
forcing Amtrak to devote these precious weeks of optimum travel to
diverting staff and resources to plan its own demise. Instead of serving
the public and improving its financial health, Amtrak will be forced to
waste valuable time and resources," said Wulff.
Wulff called on ARC to "reconsider and rescind" its action. He pointed out
that Amtrak has added more than 2000 coach seats nationwide, as well as
additional sleeping cars to its overnight trains, in an effort to meet the
public's demand. He stated that Amtrak must be an important part of the
nation's passenger transportation system if Americans are going to be able
to enjoy the freedom of mobility that is essential to a free society.
IARP's top priority is to maintain the current passenger rail service in
Iowa, the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief. It is also working to
obtain passenger rail service between Chicago and Council Bluffs/Omaha via
Davenport, Iowa City, Grinnell, Newton, Des Moines and Atlantic.
The Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers is a statewide, nonprofit
citizens' organization which supports rail passenger serviceboth commercial
and tourist service. IARP supports a solid rail infrastructure, quality
freight service by rail and intermodal. The group was formed in 1981 to
strengthen the voice of the rail user in Iowa. The group meets at various
locations throughout the state. It's most recent meetings were in Osceola,
Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Burlington and Amana.
IARP is affiliated with the National Association of Railroad Passengers
(NARP) in Washington, D.C. Membership information is available by writing
to the Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers, 3349 Southgate Court, SW,
Suite #108, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404-5424 or by calling (319) 362-6824, or
at the group's website at www.simpson.edu/~iarp.